Dissident Spotlight: Abdukholil Kholikzoda

Abdukholil Kholikzoda wrote a memoir about his career which included criticism of Tajikistan. It resulted in a nine-year prison sentence.

A few words in a businessman’s memoir led to a prison sentence over six years, which was later extended to nine. Source: ASIA-Plus

Abdukhalil Kholiqzoda founded a lucrative health clinic in Tajikistan’s capital city. He had a long, successful career and wrote a memoir covering that period. That memoir landed him a nine-year prison sentence. 

Kholiqzoda’s imprisonment for side comments about the government’s response to COVID and other administrative inefficiencies is wrong. But Kholiqzoda’s case also involves two high-level government officials that he cited in his memoir.

National Security Chief, Saimumin Yatimov, and Interior Minister, Ramazon Rahimzoda, contributed anecdotes to the imprisoned Kholiqzoda. These are among the highest government officials, and they have been for decades. However, they may have placed themselves in danger through their second-hand criticism of their dictator.

Tables Can Turn Any Time

Kholiqzoda was arrested in August 2023 in part for this passage from his book, quoted in part from Radio Free Europe:

“Rather than exhibiting the ‘soft behavior [and] hypocrisy of Tajiks, which in the writings of our ancestors are one of the unique characteristics of the [Tajik] nation,’ the Khatlonis are known for their ‘agility and stability,’ Kholiqzoda mused.”

The charges against Kholiqzoda included “insulting the Tajik people,” “inciting hatred,” and “instigating instability and threatening national security.”

Tajikistan’s dictator, Emomali Rahmon, identifies himself with the country of Tajikistan. Making the state personal means that he takes any insult to the state or its people personally. It’s a dangerous arrangement for ordinary people who are just trying to live their lives.

Power under the regime doesn’t fully insulate people from danger, either. The two officials who contributed antecdotes risk Rahmon’s ire. Both officials who contributed to Kholiqzoda’s book are still in power, but other dictators have been less understanding. Joseph Stalin killed his most loyal party members, including his first two secret police chiefs.

Followers of an authoritarian shouldn’t feel secure in their proximity to their leader. There’s no telling which minor offense will turn deadly.